I don't bother dry cleaning most stuff that has a dry clean label. I just put it in the wash on a delicate cycle with a very mild detergent (do this at your own risk). Only once have I had something shrink - a pair of smart wool work trousers - but that was my own fault as I didn't check the label first and stuck them in a normal wash. In my defence they were ridiculously cheap in a sale so it didn't even occur to me they might be made of proper wool that would need dry cleaned.

I remember years ago when I was 17 I saved up for ages to buy a beautiful jumper that was dry clean only. I took it to the dry cleaners after wearing it twice and they managed to ruin it (weird melted part in one corner). They denied the damage was thier fault and I must have done it myself in the 30 minutes between collecting it and taking it back into the shop to complain. I was young at the time so didn't argue back but I should have. That experience has put me off dry cleaners to be honest. Now I will only take in things like coats that I wouldn't risk washing myself. I only take them once a year (unless they really, really need a clean before then) but I still grudge the expense.

I look at garment structure rather than fabric when deciding machine or dry cleaner. I don't hand wash.

Coats and jackets, for example, often have shoulder pads that move about if you machine wash them. Tops and jumpers, including silk, I machine wash on delicate with wool wash in a wash bag. They've always survived ok.

If it has really really delicate fabric or embellishments or something then I will sometimes get things dry cleaned by exception.

Normally just coats, everything else either delicate cycle in a pillow case or swish around in lukwarm water with something very mild. However I've just left a vintage brocade skirt at the dry cleaners as I was a bit scared to do it myself. I'm nervous now. Slightly pissed off too as the cleaning will cost nearly as much as the skirt.